Surgical instrument to cure gapes in fowls



l (No M0661.)

, R, B. DNALD-Na n y y SURGICAL INSTRUMENT 'T0 CURB GAPES'IN FOWLS.

No. 566,676. Patented-666.17, 1893.

W/TNESSES.' /NVENTO/ MWAOMW MW www@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT BRUCE DONALDSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO JAMES P. STABLER, OF SANDY SPRINGS,

MARYLAND.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT `TO CURE GAPES IN FOWLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,676, dated October1'7, 1893. Application filed July 22, 1893. Serial No. 481,213. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concern: Y

Be it knownthat I, ROBERT BRUCE DONALD- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Instruments;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which 1t appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved surgical instrument for extractingor removing the parasites known as gape worms from the trachea or windpipe of fowls, and it consiste in the construction and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The aim and purpose of the invention are the provision of an implementof the nature above indicated, which will be effective and harmless inits operation, strong and durable, snnple in its `construction andcheaply manufactured. Thisobject is attained bythe constructionillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters ofreference in` dicate corresponding parts in the several views and inwhich- Figure 1 is an elevation of the device. Fig. 2 1s an enlargedvertical section of the head portion. Fig. 3 is a det-ail view of theblank. Fig. 4 is a view of a modified form of head, and Flg. 5 is across-section on line Fig. 2.

In the drawings Arepresents the head and A a flexible shank of wire orother suitable material having a twisted loop a at oneV end forming ahandle. The end portion A2 of the shank opposite the loop, is attened orcut away on one side as at B and B', having a flat space with anintervening or central portlon b between. The flat surfaces B B are ofsubstantially uniform length and have longitudinal grooves b in theircenters, for purposes hereinafter mentioned. The end C of the portion A2istapered to a point, and bent down at an angle in the direction of thellat portion. In securing the head the wire is bent back onto itself atthe center of the portion b, so that the dat faces B B will be directlyopposite and parallel, leaving a space between, the outer or end wall ofwhich is formed by the ends of the part b. The end of theloop thusformed constitutes a rounded blunt point which permits the instrument tobe inserted without injury to the membrane. Between the flat portions BB is secured the head A which consists of an inverted section offeather, the shaft of which is tightly compressed into the groove b andbetween the iat portion B B and the end C of the wire is forced into theshaft, thereby firmly holding the feather section in place. The end C isconstructed to form a smooth incline termination of the exposed portionof the end to avoid injury during withdrawal. The vanes of the featherare arranged to incline outwardly in the direction of the handle end ofthe shank and are cutaway at an incline and forms substantially a V orconical Shaped head with the apex of the cone presented outwardly. Theinclination of the sides of the feather is in the direction of thenatural inclination ofk the vanes, so that the head is composed of laseries of inclined vanes 0r branches of varying length, decreasing inlength toward the outer end, and acting as flexible barbs all of whichincline toward the A handle end of the shank.

The peculiar formation of the head, the flexible shank and flexiblenature of the barbs premit of an easy insertion of the same withoutchanging the position of the parasites, and owing to the diversity inthe length of the barbs, aslight twist or turning of the head will carrythe barbs into contact with the adjacent sides of the trachea at allpoints, so that the parasites will invariably be engaged by members ofthe barbs and drawn out thereby as the instrument is withdrawn.

In Fig. et l have shown a modified form of head wherein the wire shankis sharpened and passes longitudinally through the shaft of the feathersection, the outer or pointed end being looped to secure the head inplace and to form retaining means anda rounded blunt end topreventinjury during insertion.

It is evident that minor changes in the coustruction and arrangement ofthe parts can be made and substituted for those shown and describedwithout in the least departing from the nature and principle of theinvention.

ICO

Havim, thus described the invention, what feather interposed between thebent portion is claimed as new, and desired to be secured and the shank,and tightly held between the by Letters Patent, is same throughout itslength, substantially as 1. A surgical instrument consisting of adescribed. I5 5 eXible shank having a looped end, and a In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in lfleatl composed of an inverted sectionof presence of two witnesses.

eat er secured in place by the loop, substantiauy as descbed- ROBERTBRUCE DONALDSON.

2. A surgical instrument consisting of a i WVitnesse/s: [o fiexibleshank having one end bent back onto M. A. RUSH,

itself and a head composed of a sectionof l L. L. BACON.

